Sydney may hold the dubious honour of being the world’s second most expensive housing market, outpriced only by perennial leader Hong Kong, but its appetite for prestige property shows no sign of slowing. At the heart of it all sits Sydney Harbour, where waterfront apartments command eye-watering prices that show few signs of slowing.

According to Westpac’s August Prestige Market Overview, the city’s luxury sector continues to outperform expectations, with top-end values rising 6.2 per cent across 2024. Over the past decade, prices for Australia’s most exclusive apartments have surged more than 40 per cent, while available listings remain nearly 20 per cent below pre-pandemic levels, data from Cotality reveals.

Much of Sydney’s recent luxury boom has centred on Circular Quay and Barangaroo, two glittering precincts now home to some of the country’s most expensive real estate. Yet one of the city’s most iconic waterfronts has, until now, remained surprisingly underdeveloped: Darling Harbour.

Long known as a playground for tourists and locals, Darling Harbour has never truly offered the chance to live there, until now. Recognising the untapped potential of this prime harbourfront, development powerhouse Mirvac has taken the lead in reimagining the precinct. The company is at the centre of a wider $15 billion revitalisation that will elevate Darling Harbour’s prestige to rival its glamorous neighbours.

At the heart of the transformation is Harbourside Residences, a $2 billion glass tower rising from the redeveloped Harbourside Shopping Centre. The project brings together an international design collaboration between Norwegian architecture firm Snøhetta and Australian practice Hassell, with interiors by Bates Smart. The tower will house 260 residences, with the yet-to-be-released penthouse collection, six sub-penthouses and three full-floor penthouses, expected to rank among Australia’s most exclusive homes.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=141327 project_image_fid=352378]

Buyers have already responded in force. The project’s first apartment release late last year became the most successful launch in Mirvac’s 54-year history, recording more than $700 million in sales in just one weekend, with more than $800m total pre-sales to date. Prices ranged from $1.7 million to $25 million, with more than 40 per cent of purchasers being repeat Mirvac buyers, a testament to the developer’s reputation for quality and delivery.

Mirvac has now unveiled the tower’s most coveted homes: a collection of three- and four-bedroom residences positioned across the upper levels of the 48-storey building. From this vantage point on the western edge of Sydney Harbour, residents will enjoy a striking and rarely seen perspective of both the city skyline and the water.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=141327 project_image_fid=352369]

Inside, luxury extends far beyond the apartments themselves. Harbourside Residences will feature wellness amenities on par with a five-star resort, including a traditional sauna, steam room, ice bath, indoor lap pool, gymnasium, and yoga and pilates studio. Private leisure spaces cater to the growing desire for exclusive community living, with a residents’ lounge, private dining rooms with commercial and show kitchens, a cinema room, and even a golf simulator.

Outdoors, the experience is just as impressive. Landscaped garden terraces frame a lagoon-style pool that looks directly across the harbour, offering some of the most intimate city views anywhere in Sydney.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=141327 project_image_fid=352372]

Construction of Harbourside Residences is well underway. Mirvac, which designs, builds, and delivers its own projects, a model that reduces risk and ensures consistency, expects completion in late 2027. When finished, it will not only redefine Darling Harbour living but reshape Sydney’s skyline once again.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=141327]

Joel Robinson

Sydney’s next great waterfront: Darling Harbour steps into the spotlight

Boutique development and construction firm <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/hsn-property-group">HSN Property Group</a> is the latest to seek a new apartment development through the NSW Government's&nbsp;Housing Delivery Authority.

They've filed a State Significant Development Application for a nine-storey building across nine consolidated lots on <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/2-16-spencer-street-rose-bay-nsw-2029">Rose Bay's Spencer Street</a>, just 400m from the centre of the affluent suburb.

“The site’s location and context make it well suited to support a more diverse and sustainable residential offering in the area,” the developer stated in community consultation materials.

The plans are for 54 apartments, 14 of which will be dedicated to affordable housing. There will be a mix of two- and three-bedroom apartments.

The proposal aims to contribute to housing diversity in the Woollahra Local Government Area while taking advantage of recent Low and Mid-Rise Housing Reforms introduced under the NSW Housing SEPP, according to the Scoping Report prepared by Urbis.

The architecture, led by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/mhn-design-union">MHNDU</a>, reflects a "contemporary design approach sensitive to the character of Rose Bay." Communal amenities will include a wellness area with a pool and sauna, a gym, a wine lounge, and landscaped spaces with barbecue facilities.&nbsp;

“The proposed development will offer a suite of premium communal amenities designed to enhance resident wellbeing, foster social connection, and promote a healthy lifestyle,” the project team notes in its public materials.

Three levels of basement parking are planned, and EV charging facilities will be included, aligning with sustainability and transport objectives. A comprehensive traffic study is underway to assess and manage local impacts.

With 54 apartments, the proposal by HSN will be one of the largest developments in Rose Bay for decades. It tops the 50 apartments soon to launch by Orosi on <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/the-avenue-rose-bay-1-the-avenue-nsw-2029">The Avenue</a>, near the Royal Sydney Golf Club.&nbsp;

First look: HSN plans Spencer St, Rose Bay apartment project

Lendlease’s Barangaroo South precinct is officially complete, marking the culmination of a 15-year urban regeneration project that has revitalised Sydney’s harbourfront.&nbsp;

In 2009, the NSW Government’s Barangaroo Delivery Authority appointed <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/lendlease-development">Lendlease</a> as developer to transform what was once an inaccessible container port on the western edge &nbsp;of Sydney’s CBD into one of the city’s most thriving mixed-use destinations. Today, Barangaroo South is home to more than 1,800 residents, 23,000 workers, 95 retailers and welcomes 33,000 visitors each day. The precinct stands as an international benchmark for large-scale urban regeneration.&nbsp;

International Towers Sydney, the three flagship commercial buildings at the centre of &nbsp;Barangaroo South, together with engineered timber buildings Daramu House and &nbsp;International House, attracted major corporate tenants from the outset, including Westpac, &nbsp;PwC and KPMG, who are still there today. These workplaces remain some of the most &nbsp;sought after in Sydney’s CBD with over 95 per cent occupancy– a testament to the appeal of world-class, modern infrastructure alongside the precinct’s dining and entertainment that &nbsp;are a drawcard for businesses.&nbsp;

One Sydney Harbour, the three luxury residential towers designed by world-renowned architect Renzo Piano, has achieved more than $4 billion in sales since its launch in 2019, while setting new Australia property price records. This includes the three-level penthouse that crowns Residences One which sold for more than $141 million in 2019 – the most expensive individual residential property ever sold in Australia. &nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=139801 project_image_fid=349150]

Barangaroo South is also Australia’s first mixed-use carbon-neutral development, an accolade achieved through energy-efficient and innovative infrastructure, including a district cooling plant with a harbour water heat rejection system, a recycled water &nbsp;treatment plant, onsite solar and an embedded electricity network.

The precinct has maintained its Climate Active Carbon Neutral certification since 2019, affirming its &nbsp;reputation as the gold standard in large scale, sustainable urban renewal. Additionally, its &nbsp;world leadership status has been validated by the Green Building Council of Australia’s &nbsp;6 Star Green Star Communities recertification (Pilot v.2).

[smartcode_project:default project_id=139801 project_image_fid=349157]

First Nations cultural values were embedded throughout the planning and delivery of the project. The precinct honours Barangaroo, a prominent First Nations woman, through its &nbsp;name. Public art, street names, and design elements across the precinct reflect and &nbsp;celebrate First Nations cultures and connections to Country.&nbsp;

The project's completion positions Barangaroo South as a legacy urban transformation delivered through long-term partnerships and world-leading urban regeneration and placemaking capabilities. &nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=139801 project_image_fid=349154]

Tony Lombardo, Group CEO Lendlease, said&nbsp;Barangaroo South represents one of the most significant urban regeneration projects in Australia.

"[It] demonstrates what can be achieved through an ambitious vision, innovative placemaking, long-term commitment and strong partnerships. The precinct has changed the face of Sydney's waterfront, established new benchmarks &nbsp;for sustainable development, and provided a model for urban regeneration that continues &nbsp;to inform our approach to creating places that deliver long-lasting value.”&nbsp;

Tom Mackellar, CEO Development Lendlease, said&nbsp;Barangaroo South has reconnected the city to its harbour in a way that seemed unimaginable 15 years ago and turned it into a thriving precinct where people can live, work and gather on the harbour’s edge.&nbsp;

“This precinct is the result of countless contributions, led by the NSW Government who set the ambition, supported by investment partners who believed in Lendlease’s vision, imagined by architects and designers, shaped by consultants and artists, and brought to &nbsp;life by our dedicated construction teams. &nbsp;

“What we’ve created here is more than buildings – it’s the best of placemaking, sustainability, arts and culture and quality design. Barangaroo South has become an integral part of Sydney that will serve our city and economy for generations.”

Staff Writer

Barangaroo South’s 15-year transformation of  Sydney’s waterfront officially complete

CBE Asia Pacific has lodged plans for a prominent corner site in Fitzroy North, with a proposal that integrates state-significant affordable housing alongside heritage adaptation and new retail.

The application covers a consolidated 2,024 sqm parcel at 201–215 Queens Parade and 6–12 Dummett Crescent. The site includes the heritage-listed Former Clifton Motor Hill Garage, fronting Queens Parade, and vacant land to the rear abutting Dummett Crescent.

According to planning documents prepared by proUrban, the proposal seeks approval for a 12-storey residential building comprising 98 apartments, including a component of affordable housing, over a ground floor retail podium integrated within the heritage structure. Approximately 780 sqm of retail space will occupy the ground floor, while residents will have access to over 850 sqm of communal amenity.

The built form presents as two connected volumes: a 12-storey tower addressing Dummett Crescent and a five-storey volume fronting Queens Parade, the latter consistent with a separate Heritage Victoria permit granted in 2023. The tower reaches a maximum height of 38.26 metres, with upper-level setbacks of 14 metres from the western boundary to reduce visual bulk. A 1.5-metre footpath widening is proposed to Dummett Crescent Lane.

Parking is provided across four basement levels, accessed via Dummett Crescent, with a total of 142 car spaces and 143 bicycle spaces.

The architectural response by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/cht-architects">CHT Architects</a> is framed by a need to reconcile new density with a sensitive heritage overlay. The Former Clifton Motor Hill Garage, identified as a place of State heritage significance, will retain its key façades, with demolition and reconstruction limited to approved elements.

As noted in the Heritage Impact Assessment, the proposal remains consistent with the Heritage Victoria permit, which allows "partial demolition, reconstruction and new works, involving the construction of a five-storey multi-use development and three basement levels".

Affordable housing has been embedded into the proposal under Clause 53.23, with specific apartment allocations aimed at enhancing housing diversity within the Queens Parade Activity Centre.

"The proposal is generally consistent with the relevant policy objectives and the intent of the Yarra Planning Scheme," proUrban states in its planning assessment, citing its alignment with strategic documents including Plan Melbourne and Victoria’s Housing Statement.

CHT Architects' plans emphasise a tiered design that acknowledges the site's varied interfaces—from the elevated Heidelberg Road ramp reserve to the recently built Clifton Views aged care facility to the north-east.

CBE Asia Pacific has not been previously active in this precinct, but the project joins a wave of higher-density residential proposals along the Queens Parade corridor, spurred by Melbourne’s broader push to increase affordable housing in well-connected inner-urban areas.

The site benefits from direct access to the Queens Parade tram corridor and proximity to Clifton Hill Station (approximately 200 metres), as well as green open spaces including Mayors Park and Raines Reserve. Clifton Hill Primary School and the Queens Parade retail village lie within walking distance.

First look: CBE Asia Pacific plans 100-apartment Jenkin House on Queens Parade, Fitzroy North

ALT Pasta, one of Melbourne’s most beloved inner-city pasta bars, has been confirmed as one of the first tenancies for the highly anticipated <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/comme-prahran-182-194-commercial-road-prahran-vic-3181">Comme Prahran</a> development, marking an exciting next chapter for the cult favourite as it prepares to expand into the heart of <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/prahran-vic-3181">Prahran</a>.

Fresh off being named National Best Italian Restaurant at the 2025 Restaurant &amp; Catering Hostplus Awards for Excellence, ALT continues to solidify its reputation as a quietly confident leader in Melbourne’s dining scene. Lauded for its reinterpretation of Italian pasta through a Korean and Japanese lens, the restaurant has grown into a staple since opening three years ago, and its new Prahran outpost will only deepen its local impact.

“From the very beginning, ALT has been about respect - for tradition, for ingredients, and for the process,” shares Mino Han, ALT’s founder, a Korean-Australian chef whose vision is shaped by cultural duality and craftsmanship.&nbsp;

“We’re not trying to reinvent the wheel, just make something beautifully familiar, feel quietly special,” added Han.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=108413 project_image_fid=353585]

Positioned at the entrance to Comme Prahran and directly opposite the iconic Prahran Market, the new venue will celebrate the interplay between casual comfort and elevated detail. Designed in collaboration with Rooftop Architecture, the same team behind ALT’s flagship city location, the space will mirror the neighbourhood’s laid-back energy while staying true to the brand’s understated refinement.

Diners can expect a frequently changing menu that takes advantage of the market’s daily produce, along with set menu offerings exclusive to this location. A distinctive chef’s table and open kitchen format are also in the works, allowing guests to experience ALT’s signature intimacy and transparency in a new light.

ALT Prahran won’t replace the original venue; rather, it complements it.

“Our city site is like our heritage bottle; it’ll age gracefully. Prahran is where we’ll play, explore new ingredients, and bring something special to the community,” Mino notes.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=108413 project_image_fid=353584]

For Comme Prahran, a boutique development by Leeka that blends heritage with multi-dimensional wellness, ALT Pasta’s arrival signals a meaningful addition to its vision of cultural connection, food-first living, and local engagement.

“Being part of Comme is more than just opening a second venue. It’s about contributing to a neighbourhood with character, history, and a strong sense of community. That’s something we deeply relate to,” says Mino.

Sustainability and cultural identity are deeply embedded in the ethos of ALT. From ingredient sourcing to interior design, the new location will reflect both environmental mindfulness and a spirit of inclusion, embodying the values of Melbourne’s diverse, forward-thinking culinary scene.

Comme Prahran is scheduled for completion in late 2027, with ALT Pasta expected to be among the first tenancies to open its doors shortly after.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=108413]

National best Italian restaurant ALT Pasta to open at Comme Prahran, bringing refined familiarity to Melbourne’s culinary heart

National BEST Italian restaurant ALT Pasta to open at Comme Prahran

Bond Yields

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There is no Australian recession in the immediate horizon, if the yield curve is taken as an indicator, according to LF Economics latest analysis.
The research, Australian Economic Cycles and the Yield Curve, says the yield curve is an accurate predictor of recession and financial instability.
It relies on the 2-Y/10-Y bond yield curve, which it says can indicate larger downturns in economic activity, while avoiding the smaller declines and also the 90-Day/10-Y yield curve, which can detect both large and smaller declines in growth.   The economic forecaster says the economy will keep lumbering along without recession despite “anemic levels of real GDP growth, kept in positive territory only by our disgraceful population Quantitative Easing, public sector deficits, household sector dis-saving and record levels of private debt”.
It does note that shocks can swiftly make an impact.
The research is based on the premise that when yields on bond and bills with shorter-term maturities surpass longer-term maturities (the yield spread inverts), it is a “clear indicator economic growth will decline in the near future”.
Typically, the yield curve is calculated by subtracting the 2-Y Treasury bond yield from that of the 10-Y Treasury bond. The US provides a case study for demonstrating the accuracy of the inverted yield curve as a predictor of recession, usually one to two years in advance.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/06/30/US10Yr.png" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2017/06/30/US10Yr.png" alt="">
The Australian data is also accurate, it says. The quarterly 2-Y/10-Y public bond yield curve demonstrates the impending early 1980s recession, the near mid-1980s recession, the early 1990s recession and the GFC. It turns out there was plenty of warning for the GFC, with the yield curve turning negative in 2006Q2.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/06/30/Aust10yearYield.png" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2017/06/30/Aust10yearYield.png" alt="">
 <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/06/30/AustTwoYields.png" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2017/06/30/AustTwoYields.png" alt=""> 
“Using the 90-Day bill/10-Y public bond yield allows for superior detection of future downturns in economic growth, including rises in the unemployment rate” says the research.
This yield curve picks up the small increases in the rate during the mid-1980s, 2001 and 2013/14, but these periods were not recessions. The mid-1970s recession is obvious, it says.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/06/30/Aus90DayBill.png" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2017/06/30/Aus90DayBill.png" alt="">
Recently, a research paper by the RBA attempted to detect historical recessions while filtering out noise by employing standard econometric techniques. It concluded that “Because the coincident indices present a smoother perspective of the business cycle in the 1960s and 1970s, they identify fewer recessions in this period than does GDP. Over the past 45 years, the coincident indices locate three recessions – periods when there was a widespread downturn in economic activity; in 1974-1975, 1982-1983 and 1990-1991.”
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jonathanchancellor-7SQnKwU6yx

Yield curves don't indicate recession in the near term: LF Economics

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Strong interest has emerged overnight in Australia's first-ever 30-year bond.
Demand has pushed past the $13 billion mark, although the size of the offer is likely to be less.
The new bond, which matures 21 March 2047, was launched on Tuesday.
It is expected to be finalised today by the Australian Office of Financial Management. 
Traders told the Australian Financial Review the demand is likely to have come from insurance companies eyeing globally attractive long-term rates paid by a triple-A rated borrower, and short-term traders and funds looking to buy securities that will gain in value if a slowdown in China forces further Reserve Bank of Australia rate cuts.
As of late Tuesday, the AOFM had almost $11 billion of orders and was guiding towards a yield of 3.24 per cent. 
The Australian Office of Financial Management said the historic transaction would be of 'benchmark' size'. 
Traders had anticipated 100 to 107 basis points over the implied yield of the 10-year bond futures contract.  
ANZ, Citi, Commonwealth Bank, Deutsche Bank, UBS and Westpac managed the issue.
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j.ballantyne1990-6AQqhLzZaK

Huge interest in Australia's inaugural 30-year government bond

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<div class="cq-article-content-paras section">
Commercial real estate is too cheap, according to one of the world's leading real estate academics, Professor Andrew Baum, the visiting professor of management practice at the Saïd Business School at the University of Oxford.
Professor Baum acknowledged the extremely attractive risk premium over bonds. 
"If you get 1.8 per cent on a bond, why is real estate trading at 5 percent? It would not surprise if the yields went down to 3.5 percent," he told the Australian Financial Review.
Professor Baum said most people assumed bond yields would rise but with a glut of savings around the world it could be some time till they turn.
"It is possible that yields will stay low for a long time, in which case property yields could go lower."
<a href="/images/2016/08/24/Screen%20Shot%202016-08-24%20at%2012.11.53%20pm.png" target="_blank">Click here to enlarge</a>
<img src="/images/2016/08/24/Screen%20Shot%202016-08-24%20at%2012.11.53%20pm.png" alt="" width="338" height="263">
Professor Baum outlined three possible scenarios.
1) Bond yields stay low, in which case, "property is a screaming buy".
2) Bond yields rise with Professor Baum estimating that the current yield gap could absorb a rise of 1 percent rise in bond yield without any more in real estate yields.
"Real bond yields you have to rise 2 percent before it affects real estate pricing," he said.
3) Inflation expectations and real bond yields surge beyond the 2 percent cushion.
"The question then is whether property is an inflation hedge," he said, pointing out that over 35 years in the UK, inflation had averaged 3.2 percent a year – and so had commercial rents.
Professor Baum says the second scenario is the most likely and Australia looks good with a relatively high property yield relative to local bonds.
Professor Baum is a chartered surveyor who will speak at the University of Sydney Business School CBD campus on the lessons from the European experience of real estate in a low interest rate environment on Thursday.
His visit comes as the latest Australia All Property Index has been released by the Property Council/IPD Australia. It provides a broad measure of investment returns for the commercial property market in Australia.
<a href="/images/2016/08/24/Screen%20Shot%202016-08-24%20at%2012.11.58%20pm.png" target="_blank">Click here to enlarge</a>
<img src="/images/2016/08/24/Screen%20Shot%202016-08-24%20at%2012.11.58%20pm.png" alt="" width="293" height="240">
The index database is comprised of property assets from 61 funds with a combined asset value of A$165 billion representing 1,419 assets.
The index details total return, income return and capital return for office, retail, industrial and other sectors on a quarterly basis.
The annualised total return for the year ending June 2016 was 13.3%.
This result is above the 11.8% return of June 2015 and above the 15 year annualised return of 10.5%.
Office returns were 14.6%, industrial 13.5% and retail 11.2% as at June 2016.
Cap rates for the quarter at an all property level tightened to 6.2%.
Retail cap rates tightened to 5.9%, office cap rates tightened to 6.2% and industrial cap rates tightened to 7.2%.
The composition (by value) across the sectors is retail (42%), office (44%), industrial (9%) and other (5%).
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